Facility Notes

In San Diego, Tim Sullivan writes of a possible new stadium for the Chargers, "In denying the Port of San Diego's request for an immediate stay, the Fourth District Court of Appeal yesterday removed the last obstacle to a public vote on a massive waterfront makeover at the 10th Avenue Marine Terminal." City Attorney Mike Aguirre said, "If the voters approve it, it probably has to go forward." Though the Chargers "have yet to publicly endorse" the initiative, Aguirre's "stated neutrality could be a critical consideration." Sullivan: "Should the election eliminate either Aguirre himself or his potential objections, it could signal a significant break in the city's stadium stalemate" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 9/11).

Landowners Claiming City Of Arlington
Unconstitutionally Obtained Their Land For Stadium

LAND SWAP: In Ft. Worth, Andrea Ahles reports Arlington, Texas, landowners "argued in court Wednesday that the city acted unconstitutionally when it obtained their land through eminent domain for the new" $1.1B Cowboys stadium. Attorney Bob Cohen, who is repping four landowners, argued before the 2nd Court of Appeals that the city's lease with the Cowboys "is illegal because it is too broad and the city has no control over the new stadium." If the landowners succeed, the city "could be forced to renegotiate the long-term stadium lease with the Cowboys and the land purchases" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 9/11). Cohen said that he is "not trying to stop work on the ... stadium, which opens next year" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/11).

MUSICAL CHAIRS: In Louisville, Sheldon Shafer reported the Kentucky State Fair Board (KSFB) and AEG have signed a "long-term deal" to bring concerts and other acts to the planned downtown arena and to Freedom Hall. Louisville Arena Authority Chair Jim Host said the agreement with AEG "is a huge deal." KSFB President Harold Workman said that "most of the Freedom Hall concerts and other acts in recent years have not been 'top tier,' and that 'almost all of the acts have been individually signed by our sales staff' and are not touring performers." Workman said that "typically, the top acts have been bypassing Louisville in favor of venues that have deals with AEG or other leading promoters, such as Live Nation" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 9/7).

THE CALM AFTER THE STORM: SMG business analyst Todd Unterseher, in a report to the Superdome Commission, indicated that the Superdome, New Orleans Arena, Zephyr Field and other local state-owned sports facilities "suffered extensive but for the most part easily reparable damage from Hurricane Gustav." Unterseher, whose company operates the Superdome and New Orleans Arena, "gave the commission a three-page checklist of damage to the various facilities the commission oversees for the state." About half the list "was devoted to Zephyr Field," which Unterseher said suffered "quite a bit of damage." Officials declined to "put a price tag on the damage" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 9/11).